Fatigue and progesterone

by Pav
(Vancouver, BC Canada)

I have just started the cream (10 days) 5 mg per day. I am on testosterone therapy which has helped me immensely and I want to get something that would prevent the T being converted to estradiol and DHT and was told progesterone would be a natural way of doing so.

The problem is since I started taking it (what would be the correct dosage? I take 200mg of T every 2 weeks by injection) I am feeling so tired and must sleep an hour or more each afternoon and do not sleep well. I take the compounded cream, should I consider taking oral? What dosage?Since starting to take the cream I have been feeling very depressed and tired. I would greatly appreciate your response.

Comments for Fatigue and progesterone

Hi Pav, you are right, it can help prevent the testosterone being converted to DHT. 17-0H-progesterone, followed by progesterone, are the most potent natural inhibitors of 5-alpha reductase which causes the conversion.

I know this will sound odd to your ears, but the symptoms you have are caused by oestrogen dominance. When first using progesterone it activates the oestrogen receptor sites, thus making oestrogen the dominant hormone. Depression and tiredness are typical symptoms. Progesterone actually raises serotonin levels. If this neurotransmitter is low it causes depression.

Maybe high oestrogen was the cause of your problems, and not lack of testosterone, as this would suppress your testosterone levels. Conversely enough testosterone will suppress oestrogen, hence feeling better on it. Did they check your oestrogen levels? There are over 90 oestrogen mimics in the environment now, in our food, air, water and the skin care we use, none of us can escape.

I think the dose you're using is a bit low, I feel you'd do better on 10-20mg initially, this should correct the problem quickly. We have many men using Natpro. Most had tried testosterone injections which they say only made them more aggressive, but the progesterone did not. Not only that but it reversed the BPH they had (it's an excellent anti-inflammatory as it raises levels of IL10), so making frequent urination a thing of the past, and it raised their libido too. Progesterone is a vasodilator, often a lack of blood is a cause of low libido. Progesterone also stimulates nitric oxide another vasodilator. NO is often given to men for erectile dysfunction. Finally don't take the oral version as most of the progesterone is destroyed as it passes through the gut and liver. Hope this helps. Take care, Wray.

Jul 22, 2009

Progesterone and Male Testosterone Replacementby: Brian Hildebrandt

Progesterone should not be prescribed to men in a distinct majority of cases. Pregnenolone would be a better option since it is much more mild at increasing the adrenal hormones (progesterone and DHEA).

Increasing progesterone in men has largely negative consequences most notably sexual dysfunction and in a minority of cases gynecomastia (prolactin related). For women that's an entirely different story.

DHT is what is responsible for many of the positive effects of testosterone replacement including mood, sexual function, and energy. Men that have taken Finasteride to lower DHT can attest to it's negative effects.

If you want to block estrogen take an aromatase inhibitor like Arimidex at 0.25mg every other day. That will do the job just fine.

Nov 25, 2009

Chronic Fatigue Syndromeby: Roy

I am 39 years old and have suffered from fatigue problems most of my life. I have battled with this for so long now that I am giving up hope. Does anyone feel that progesterone can help my problem, it seems to make sense but the medical practitioners do not check hormone levels in men for suspected Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I certainly feel from what I have read that it would be worthwhile to try this but I haven't a clue where to start, any help is appreciated.

Feb 25, 2010

Chronic Fatigue Syndromeby: Wray

Hi Roy. Apologies for the late reply, I'm finding it hard to keep up with questions. I can't agree with Brian about progesterone causing sexual dysfunction in men, including causing gynecomastia, the opposite occurs in fact. If in fact prolactin is related to gynecomastia, progesterone would be excellent, as it suppresses prolactin, as does the amino acid tyrosine.

We have many men using progesterone for low libido, BPH, depression, stress etc. It plays a role in the acrosome reaction in the sperm, stimulates the Leydig cells to make testosterone, plus suppressing excess oestrogen. I would never suggest a drug for this. Progesterone stimulates the production of nitric oxide, much the same way as Viagra does, but with no adverse side effects. NO is a vasodilator, vital for erections. Progesterone itself is a vasodilator.

Your fatigue could be caused by a number of problems, most notable is food. What are you eating? All foods which contain sugar should be avoided, all grains and starchy foods like potatoes, fruit high in sugar, root or fruit vegetables high in sugar, unless you eat all these raw. And of course any processed foods and drinks, as these often have a high sugar content. Candida causes fatigue, have you been checked for this? Please see this web page.

Stress causes fatigue, are you stressed? Stress drops progesterone levels, as our stress hormone cortisol in made from progesterone in the adrenals. If you are stressed it would certainly be worth trying progesterone. Toxins cause fatigue, have you had a liver function test? Insulin resistance could be a factor too, as this causes extreme tiredness, please see this web page. Take care, Wray

Although this web site is not intended to be prescriptive, it is intended, and hoped, that it will induce in you a sufficient level of scepticism about some health care practices to impel you to seek out medical advice that is not captive to purely commercial interests, or blinded by academic and institutional hubris. You are encouraged to refer any health problem to a health care practitioner and, in reference to any information contained in this web site, preferably one with specific knowledge of progesterone therapy.